The first United Football League season starts on March 30 after the merger between the XFL and USFL. Ole Miss Football will have several past players on the field for various teams.
The first season of the UFL will feature eight teams, with plans to expand to more over the next two seasons. There will be five previous Ole Miss players on team rosters this spring.
Jordan Ta'amu, QB, D.C. Defenders
Jordan Ta'amu returns as the D.C. Defenders QB, starting all ten games in the XFL in 2023. Ta'amu had 1,878 passing yards, 301 rushing yards and a combined 17 touchdowns. He was also awarded the Offensive Player of the Year in 2023.
Ta'amu was on the Ole Miss roster from 2017-2018, becoming the full-time starter in his final season. He finished the season with the second most passing yards in the SEC, with 3,918 yards.
Jahcour Pearson, WR, St Louis Battlehawks
Unfortunately for the St Louis Battlehawks, they won't see Jahcour Pearson early in the 2024 season. Pearson has been placed on IR, missing at least the first six games of this season.
Pearson transferred to Ole Miss from Western Kentucky in 2021. He finished with 392 yards from 26 receptions. He was a driving factor in convincing Dayton Wade to commit to the Rebels in 2022.
Matt Corral, QB & DeMarquis Gates, LB, Birmingham Stallions
Matt Corral and DeMarquis Gates signed with the Birmingham Stallions on the same day, February 14. It instantly boosted both sides of the ball for the Stallions.
Corral was announced as the starter for the Stallions on March 28, beating out J'Mar Smith and Adrian Martinez. Gates, a 2022 ALL-USFL Linebacker, joins a good position group, along with Kyahva Tezino.
Matt Corral will be the starting QB for the Birmingham Stallions tomorrow when they take on the Arlington Renegades.
— We Run the Sip (@OMRebelNation) March 29, 2024
It’s on FOX (noon). pic.twitter.com/Nh95SsegR7
Gates played three seasons at Ole Miss from 2015-2017, leading the team in tackles in all three seasons. He spent the last two seasons on and off the Chicago Bears practice squad.
Corral spent four seasons with the Ole Miss program, two under current head coach Lane Kiffin. Corral featured in four games in 2019 as a backup to Jordan Ta'amu. In his three seasons as a starter, Corral threw for over 8,000 yards, putting him third on the all-time leading passers in program history.
Breeland Speaks, DE, Michigan Panthers
Breeland Speaks was one of the best defensive ends in the 2023 USFL season. He recorded 53 tackles and 9 sacks for the Michigan Panthers. Getting him back was a big move for the team.
A Mississippi native, Speaks played for Ole Miss from 2014-2017. In his final season, he had his best season, with stats of 67 tackles, 8 tackles for loss and 7 sacks.